Riff

What do they actually do

Riff is a browser-based music editor that combines a simple timeline editor with AI tools to generate sounds, search samples, and make edits or arrangements via an in-app assistant. The public site highlights an intuitive editor, an AI chatbot, and intelligent sample search as core features goriff.com, and their YC launch post frames it as “Cursor for music production” YC launch.

In practice, users start a project, generate or find a sound, drop it on the timeline, and ask the assistant to arrange or refine the track—then iterate with quick edits. This “generate → place → ask AI to arrange → tweak” loop is demonstrated in their public demo demo transcript.

Today it’s aimed at hobbyist/aspiring musicians who want better results than entry-level tools without the complexity of a full pro DAW; it’s web-first, with community activity routed through Discord and sharing inside Riff’s environment YC company page, goriff.com. It’s not a VST/plugin or a Pro Tools replacement yet; DAW/plugin interoperability and detailed IP/licensing policies are not publicly specified on the landing materials reviewed.

Who are their target customer(s)

• Mid-level hobbyist/aspiring musician: Wants results beyond GarageBand-level tools but finds pro DAWs overwhelming. Needs a fast way to turn ideas into a listenable draft without learning complex workflows.
• Loop/beat producer who relies on samples: Spends too much time searching for compatible sounds and stitching patterns. Needs quicker, relevant sample discovery and automatic arrangement help.
• Singer-songwriter or solo artist capturing demos: Can record parts but can’t easily create full arrangements. Needs simple tools to add convincing backing tracks and export a presentable demo fast.
• Content creator/streamer needing quick, reusable tracks: Needs short custom music for videos/streams without rights confusion. Wants fast, tweakable pieces that can be exported and reused reliably.
• Semi-pro/producer evaluating new tools: Wants to keep control inside Ableton/Logic/etc. and avoid breaking workflows. Needs seamless export or plugin-like integration and precise editing, not a full replacement.

How would they acquire their first 10, 50, and 100 customers

• First 10: Founder-led invite-only beta from existing music networks with 1:1 onboarding to build first projects, gather feedback, and offer long-term access in exchange for usage and case studies.
• First 50: Host public “make a song in 45 minutes” livestreams/workshops, publish short how-tos and templates, and add two-sided referral credits to turn attendees into regular users.
• First 100: Partner with niche creators for sample packs and short sponsored demos linked to one-click trials; run small targeted social tests and forum posts showing time savings, alongside a clear export-to-stems workflow for DAW handoff.

What is the rough total addressable market

Top-down context:

Riff’s immediate revenue TAM aligns with the music‑production software/DAW market, commonly estimated around $3.5–$4.1B in 2024 (MarketResearchFuture, Grand View Research). A broader “music production systems” view (software + hardware/services) is cited around ~$7B in 2025 (TBRC).

Bottom-up calculation:

User TAM is credibly in the tens of millions: ~12M artists publish on Spotify (a lower bound for active music makers) plus a subset of the many tens of millions of video creators who need quick music (Music Business Worldwide, ExplodingTopics, DemandSage). Serviceable users likely span low‑single‑digit millions (stricter) to multiple tens of millions (broader).

Assumptions:

• Market reports differ on scope (software-only vs. software+hardware/services), so dollar totals vary.
• Only a portion of creators will try a web-first, AI-assisted editor; adoption depends on ease, rights clarity, and pricing.
• No ARPU or conversion assumed; TAM is not converted to revenue without explicit pricing assumptions.

Who are some of their notable competitors

• BandLab: Free, browser-first multitrack studio with social/community features and mobile apps; overlaps on web editing and collaboration but emphasizes a free social platform over AI-first arranging (BandLab).
• Soundtrap (by Spotify): Online DAW with templates, live collaboration, and a large loop library; competes for hobbyists but focuses more on education/collab and prebuilt sounds than generative, in-editor arrangement (Soundtrap features).
• Splice: Subscription sample/preset marketplace with strong search and DAW integrations; not a full editor but directly overlaps with Riff’s sample discovery use case (Splice Sounds).
• Boomy: AI-first web app that generates complete songs quickly with commercial rights and distribution; prioritizes one-click generation over timeline editing and assistant-driven arrangement (Boomy).
• Ableton Live: Professional desktop DAW many producers rely on; experienced users may prefer to stay unless Riff offers seamless export/plugin interoperability or unique workflow speedups (Ableton Live).